[MythicalMino]

I personally couldn't stand the tactical combat in Shadow Magic....or any other tbs game that has it...I get much more enjoyment out of setting up my units with orders (and spells....what mages should use what spell first) than moving each individual unit move by move. To be honest, unless a Total War type design for tactical combat was used....that would RUIN the game. The largest battle I have participated in was upwards to 400 units....imagine trying to move each individual unit on the field...scary.

Diplomacy....I would like to see. BUT, at the same time, it seems not as important to me as I would have thought it would be...

As far as the AI goes....it really isn't even as bad as some of the ppl are making it out to be. Sure, there can be improvements. BUT, I have seen 110+ armies plowing through my provinces, and these armies have included summoned creatures, Heavy Infantry, Cavalry of different types, and other race-specific monsters. The AI does better on larger maps, with more AI's involved....The AI seems to not be able to handle what ppl call Super Combatants (a unit, usually a God, that is so overpowered with items, magic, ect ect, that nothing can stop him). There is an EASY player made fix for that though, just don't use Super Combatants. For a person to complain about how Super Combatants ruin the SP function of the game, but continues to use them, baffles me. The AI will not "build" Super Combatants....so, if you don't want an unfair advantage, don't you use it either.

I know I am probably going to end up getting flamed for this next statement, but who cares?

Dominions cries out to be played MP....be it network or Play By Email....This is where the game truly shines...and to be honest, what the developers had in mind from the very beginning (Dominions I, designed for them and their friends to play and have fun). Seeing that the main basic design hasn't changed from Dom1 to Dom2, I wouldn't think their main mindset would change either.

Now, I had Shadow Magic....but Dominions completely removed that game from any desire to play. Dominions has an...Epic feeling to it....It literally reminds me of Tolkiens Lord of the Rings in epic scope...There are SO many options just in creating your Pretender-God....not to mention nations. 17 different nations, and many of these nations has different themes within that nation (which gives you different available units). Different types of Fortresses to build, different units. Each nation is different and unique, with its own strengths and weaknesses. Sure, one nation may seem to be overpowered, but somewhere, there is a weakness....and a nation elswhere would be able to latch onto that weakness.

Dominions II looks really good too, I think. The maps really do remind me of some of the maps I have seen of Tolkiens Middle-Earth. They have a real "middle-age/fantasy" appearance.

I know in Shadow Magic, you have very limited amount of units to use, and even in those limits, there are even more limits. Some of the units are simply unusable (or, they were...could have been fixed via patches i guess). Dominions, I really don't get that feeling. Even Light Infantry has its usage (along with the free Militia you get sometimes in events....free patrollers, I would think).

Shadow Magic **might** be the prettier game....but Dominions, in my humble opinion, IS the better game.

I know this was a long post, but I tried to hit the things that ppl have commented on....and tried to compare the game to Shadow Magic. Just for reference, more ppl compare it to Master of Magic (although, I have never played that one...missed out on it)

[ November 25, 2003, 13:35: Message edited by: cpbeller ]